Theo Paphitis and Small Business Sunday (#SBS) to go live at Autumn Fair
#SBS community to compete for 12 exhibition spots
Theo has teamed up with Autumn Fair, a showcase dedicated to highlighting new and unique products from ambitious start-ups and small businesses to allow 12 lucky #SBS winners a chance to compete for a free exhibition stand at this years Fair! The process will be judged by a panel of Autumn and Spring Fair experts from event organisers, Ascential.
The winners will take centre stage at the Fair, which runs 2-5 September at Birmingham NEC, and will gain access to thousands of visitors and buyers ready to order products ahead of the busiest retail period of the year – the Golden Quarter.
#SBS began in 2010 and each week hundreds of small businesses tweet Theo to secure his endorsement. Every Monday, six of these businesses are then invited to become part of the now 2,300 strong #SBS community, benefiting from boosted publicity and attendance at a yearly conference with access to motivational speakers and workshops.
Theo Paphitis, founder of #SBS, said:
“I am thrilled to be bringing #SBS to Autumn Fair, giving 12 small businesses a free platform to showcase their wares and access a brand new marketplace.
“#SBS was born due to the sheer number of business owners on Twitter who wanted to tell me about their new products and services. It exists so that these passionate entrepreneurs have a dedicated space to share their ideas and ‘pitch’ for endorsement. It’s therefore a natural match to bring our initiative to Autumn Fair, an event similarly dedicated to championing retailers, their energy and entrepreneurial spirit.”
Louise Young, managing director of Spring & Autumn Fair, said:
“Each year, Autumn Fair showcases the best and most innovative ideas and products to inspire buyers throughout the Golden Quarter and beyond.
“It is hugely exciting for us to be welcoming Theo and 12 new #SBS businesses to the Fair, with Theo providing these small businesses with a platform that allows them to really shine and boost their order books.”
As the gateway to the Golden Quarter, Autumn Fair enables visitors to buy products ‘here and now’ for this key selling period, as well as helping them get ahead of the competition by seeing the biggest range of 2019 product launches in the UK.
Autumn Fair #SBS Opportunity
Theo Paphitis has exclusively arranged for 12 #SBS businesses to take a stand at the #SBS Pavilion at Autumn Fair 2018, running 2nd-5th September.
If you would like to be in with a chance to be one of those 12 businesses to take a free stand at the Autumn Fair you need to do the following:
- Send your completed form to sbs@tpretailgroup.com to tell us why you want to be one of the businesses at Autumn Fair by July 1s
- Then Autumn Fair will shortlist 36 businesses by 4th July 2018.
- The 12 winners will be selected by an Autumn Fair panel on 13th July 2018
- The 12 winners will be contacted shortly afterwards with contract information.
- Winners will be announced on 21st August on social media and to the Autumn Fair database.
Terms and Conditions
- The competition will open on Friday 8th June 2018 and will close at 11:59pm on 1st July 2018.
- You must be an #SBS winning business to enter and be eligible.
- You must be available for 2nd-5th September 2018 to exhibit at the Autumn Fair.
- To enter the competition, entrants must complete the form provided and send to sbs@tpretailgroup.com by 11.59pm 1st July.
- Only one entry per business is allowed. Multiple entries will be deemed invalid.
- No purchase is necessary to enter the competition.
- There will be an initial shortlist of 36 businesses, with 12 businesses selected by the Autumn Fair panel to be at the Autumn Fair.
- The judges’ decision will be final.
- We reserve the right to amend or cancel this competition at any time.
- No cash alternative shall be provided.
- The winning businesses will be alerted by email and must confirm within 48 hours, or may lose its space.
- Your email address and business name will be shared with Ascential for the sole purpose of them contacting you to arrange details for attending and exhibiting at the Autumn Fair. Your details will not be passed onto any other 3rd party.
- The winning businesses will liaise with Autumn Fair on agreeing a contract (no money will exchange hands).
- It is a legal requirement for each winning business exhibiting to have public liability insurance to the value of £2m (details in Clause 12 of the Ascential contract). To ensure that all participants have the appropriate level of cover, exhibitors are initially invoiced £175 + VAT for a policy with our providers InEvexco. However, as the vast majority of businesses have their own insurance, all they need to do is send their certificate of insurance to InEvexco, and provided that the level of cover meets the requirements, the invoice will be credited immediately so that no payment is required.
- Winners will be included in event marketing and publicity by #SBS Small Business Sunday, Autumn Fair and Ascential.
- The #SBS Pavilion is comprised of twelve booths, each 3.5m x 2m, complete with traditional shell scheme walls, carpet, table, seating, shelving, lighting and a 500w power socket. Any additional requirements will be at a cost to the winning business.
- Travel, accommodation and subsistence is not covered in this prize.
- The promoter is the #SBS Small Business Sunday and the address is 1 St Georges Road, London, SW19 4DR.
